


Relapse

by socialexecution



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Established Relationship, Heroin, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Recovery, Relapsing, scout is trying to get over a heroin addiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 04:32:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16779652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/socialexecution/pseuds/socialexecution
Summary: Scout relapses and stumbles to Sniper's camper. Sniper takes care of him and comforts him.





	Relapse

There wasn't anything more unsettling to Sniper than witnessing Scout stumble toward his camper. A quiet gasp left his mouth before he swung open the camper door, running out to meet the young man. Scout looked about ready to fall over, his dirty blond hair mussed up and his eyes red with tears. Scout was trembling, eyes wide, pupils constricted. His face was flushed red and it was all Sniper needed to know to realize what the runner had been doing just before he'd stumbled out to his camper. He refused to let his disappointment show as he pulled Scout into his arms, holding onto him tightly. He carefully helped him up the small steps and into his campervan, shutting the door behind them and locking it. No one needed to know what was going on with Scout right now.  
Sniper sat him down on the couch, taking off his hat and running a hand through brown locks in muted frustration. Scout had promised he wouldn't use again, but Sniper knew it wouldn't be that simple. He'd expected Scout to relapse, sure, but he still wasn't ready to see him like this again.

Softly, Sniper sat next to Scout and pulled him into his arms, taking the younger man's hands and holding both of them so that he wouldn't scratch at his skin. He knew after injecting heroin Scout was prone to start itching at his arms, leaving ugly scabs and marks all over the once soft surface.  
Scout was crying, blubbering out apologies but Sniper didn't care much for those. He shushed him, shaking his head and pressing closer to Scout.

"No, no, none of that. Don't apologize," Sniper said, voice only above a whisper, "Just take deep breaths."

Scout felt like he couldn't breathe. He was pretty sure he took more that he could handle in that last dose, and he was suddenly scared of death. Sure, respawn would probably catch him, but he didn't want to risk it. It was tempermental when it came to wounds that weren't inflicted on the battlefield. He tried to focus on Sniper's voice, tried to slow his breathing so that maybe the tears would stop coming. They didn't. But he was beginning to feel better as oxygen pumped through his body, making everything just a bit less foggy. He clung to Sniper as he tried to ride out his high. Even if it was terrifying, it still felt too fucking good.

Sniper stroked Scout's back gently and rocked them ever so slightly, knowing the man needed any form of comfort he could get right now. Scout looked so exhausted, it made his heart twist in pain and sorrow. He pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead and murmured, "I'm going to get you some water. Don't move too much, I'll be right back."  
As he got up, Scout continued to cling to him, and Sniper had to hold his hands again and gently pry them from his vest. "Shh, shh, I'll be right back, love."  
The gentle tone seemed to calm Scout down a bit, and he finally let go and allowed Sniper to fully stand up. He walked to his tiny kitchen, which really only consisted of a small fridge, a stove, a microwave, a sink, and a couple little cabinets. Sniper opened one and pulled out a plastic cup, filling it with cool water. Not too cold, though. He didn't want to shock Scout's body.

He returned only a moment later as promised, helping Scout wrap his shaking hands around the cup to take a drink. He tilted the cup slowly, watching the other drink and being sure not to give him too much.  
"Good, good job, Scout," he murmured, taking the cup away after he finished a little over half of it. He set it down on the little side table and pulled Scout close to him. He would just have to wait for the man to sober up before they talked about anything.

Scout was grateful for the water, and it had made him feel slightly better. He leaned into Sniper, the tears finally drying as exhaustion took over. The high was coming down, and Scout could already feel the reprocussions. Regret settled heavy in his stomach, and he suddenly felt ashamed as a headache shot through his left temple. How could he do this to Sniper again? How could he do this to himself again?

Sniper knew Scout was beating himself up about this. He could see it on his face. The frustration that Sniper experienced earlier had melted away, and now he was just concerned for his lover. After a couple more minutes, he pulled back slightly so he could see Scout's face, a calloused thumb stroking his cheek tenderly. "Hey."

"Hey," Scout rasped back, face flushed this time with shame. Sniper mentally kicked himself for showing his frustration a bit earlier. It wasn't fair to Scout.  
"It's gonna be okay," Sniper said gently, letting out a soft sigh, "It's alright to relapse. It's normal. It feels real bad right now, I know, but we can get through it, Lil Dingo," he murmured, adding the pet name at the end to show that he still loved and cared about his partner. He didn't want Scout to think he hated him just because he'd relapsed once.

Scout felt weight being lifted off his shoulders at Sniper's gentle words. It hadn't been what he expected to hear, and he felt so much more relieved than before. He closed his tired blue eyes and let out a tiny whimper, holding back his tears of relief. "Th-Thank you, Snipes. Really. I-I'm sorry I let this happen. I'm really tryin', I really am.."

"I know you're trying, love," Sniper replied, voice low and soft, "I'm proud of you for it. We're gonna get through this, you and me, and I ain't gonna leave your side. I'm here for you."

Scout opened his eyes and looked up at his partner, eyes seeming so lost but still holding so much love for Sniper. Sniper leaned down to capture his lips in a careful, chaste kiss. He pulled away after a moment, hand moving up to stroke through Scout's hair. "You'll be okay, Jeremy."

Scout stared up at him, heart throbbing with anguish and immense love. He was so afraid, but Sniper made him feel like he could do anything.  
"I think I will be. As long as I'm with you."

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments, they are my lifeblood.  
> Thank you for reading!


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